Black Magic Bear: Tales of the Were (Grizzly Cove Book 16) Page 13

  She felt so good in his arms. No way he could let her go now. The only thing that could stop him making love to Kiki tonight was if she called a halt. Otherwise, he was all about throwing caution to the wind and indulging them both tonight. Tomorrow would come soon enough, and he’d deal with whatever it brought when the new day dawned.

  Tonight, he promised himself, was going to be about Kiki…and Jack. Together. In every sense of the word.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Kiki felt her head whirl and realized it was from more than just the amazing kisses. Jack had lifted her into his arms and turned toward the hallway that led to her bedroom. Thank heaven!

  He carried her as if she weighed nothing, his arms sure and strong. Everything about him took her breath away. He kept their mouths joined as he walked slowly toward her bedroom. He wasn’t in a hurry. His lips teased hers as he gave her the most exquisite feelings she’d ever felt in a man’s arms.

  Jack paused at threshold of her room and lifted his head to gaze into her eyes. She was breathing hard, and she noted the slight flush on his cheeks. He wasn’t unaffected by their shared passion. That was reassuring.

  “Kiki, I…” He started over. “Will you let me make love to you tonight?”

  She felt her tummy wobble at his serious question. He wasn’t going to let things unfold in a way where her consent might come out of passionate desperation rather than careful thought, but it didn’t matter. She’d already made up her mind long ago. If she got the chance to make love with Jack, she knew she was going to take it, and here he was, just waiting for her to say the word.

  “Yes, Jack. I want that,” she said softly, reaching up to cup his cheek. “I want you.”

  She might have imagined the fire in his eyes at her words, but she didn’t think so. He carried her across the threshold and into her bedroom. Thank goodness she’d made the bed that morning and tidied up, almost as if she’d been hoping one thing might lead to another.

  He put her on the bed then just stood there for a moment, gazing down at her. The heat in his eyes warmed her, and she got the feeling this was as big a deal for him as it was for her. She hadn’t allowed many men this close to her. In fact, only a very few. This kind of physical intimacy was something that was rare and precious to her, something she didn’t seek out with just anyone.

  Jack was special. She hadn’t known him very long, but her instincts told her that he was something—someone—she might never have a chance to know again. Kiki had decided, days ago, that she wanted to know him as intimately as possible, if given the chance, and now, here he was, in her bedroom… If only she could get him to take that final step and come join her on the bed.

  Deciding he might need a little extra incentive, Kiki moved her hands to the little buttons on her shirt. One by one, she slipped them free of the buttonholes, baring more of herself to him. She watched Jack’s eyes, which had widened at her movements. He seemed to be holding his breath, watching her demure striptease, as one by one, the little buttons came undone.

  She slipped the shirt off one shoulder, then the other, revealing her lacy pink bra. That seemed enough to spur Jack into motion. He sat on the edge of the bed and helped her slide the shirt down her arms, allowing it to tangle behind her back, holding her hands captive while he lowered his mouth and kissed the swells of her breasts, flowing slightly over the cups of her bra.

  He then drew her pointed nipple into his mouth, right through the pink lace, making her moan. She liked the little hint of bondage, though she knew Jack would release her arms if she asked. For now, she liked feeling just that little bit of helplessness and danger. It wasn’t real. Somehow, though she’d only known him a short time, she trusted Jack on an instinctual level.

  He kissed her deeply, something a bit wild in his kiss. Kiki moaned and met him stroke for stroke. They were communing on an unspoken level, very clearly, about passion and desire…and what they both wanted to happen next.

  When he finally broke the kiss, he also let go of the shirt tangled around her wrists, allowing her to move her arms, once more. But that was only so he could reach around with both hands and unhook her bra. Kiki brought her arms forward so he could slide the straps down her arms.

  She was bare to his hungry gaze. She didn’t feel vulnerable but rather, powerful. His appreciation was clear in his eyes, his care for her evident in the gentle way he reached out to touch her, hesitant at first, then more assertive as she leaned in to his caresses.

  Hungry for more, Kiki reached between them to push at his clothing. He seemed to get the message because he sat back and quickly disposed of his shirt before coming back to her. He kissed her deeply, pressing their bare torsos together and rubbing lightly, making her very aware of the hard, chiseled perfection of his chest.

  His arms were things of masculine beauty. Strong biceps and muscular forearms, plus those amazing shoulders looked like they could hold up the world. His abdomen was sculpted and ripped. She’d never seen a man so perfectly built and physically superior in every way. Not close up. He had the body of a Greek god, yet he was hot to the touch.

  Jack was a real man. Not a marble statue. Thank goodness. She might appreciate the beauty of a work of art, but she knew Jack and his amazing body would never leave her cold. On the contrary, he lit a fire within her that she’d never experienced before.

  He lay her back on the bed and kissed her again, each kiss drugging her senses, pulling her further downward into the languorous dream world where reality slipped away, and all that existed was her and Jack. She felt coolness on her legs and realized he’d freed her from both her pants and panties in one long sweep. Her shoes had already clattered to the floor, some time ago, and now, the only thing still between them were his pants.

  That would not do. They had to go.

  “You’re still wearing too many clothes,” she told him in a breathy voice she hardly recognized. She tugged at his waistband for emphasis, and he grinned.

  “Your wish is my command, milady,” he teased, getting up to stand at the side of the bed while he slowly stripped off his pants for her.

  The black briefs he wore under the pants were a nice surprise. Sexy. He stripped them off at the same time as the pants, taking it all down in one long slide. When he stood back up, and she got her first good look at him… Oh, my.

  Daring greatly, she reached out to take him firmly in hand. Jack moved closer. Clearly, he liked what she was doing, so she took things up a notch. Sitting up, she leaned forward to kiss the tip of him, and he shuddered. When she took him into her mouth, he groaned. It was a rumbling sound that was almost a growl. Sexy, squared.

  This man was full of surprises, and she liked every single one of them she’d discovered so far. She couldn’t wait to learn more about how he made love. What he liked, what he would do to her. All of it. She wanted it all.

  “You’re killing me, Kiki,” he ground out between clenched teeth as she sucked.

  He pushed her away gently and put one knee on the bed. Rearranging them so that they were facing each other, laying on their sides, he reached out and cupped her breast with one hand.

  “I don’t want this to end too soon,” he cautioned her.

  Kiki leaned up and pushed at his top shoulder so that he rolled onto his back. His eyes widened at her move, but he let her take charge.

  “Slow is for later. Right now, I need something faster,” she whispered as she straddled his hips. “I hope you don’t mind.”

  “Mind?” His words were tinged with laughter as his eyes flared with hunger. She reached into her nightstand drawer and retrieved a condom. She hadn’t had cause to use any since moving into the cottage, but she was glad now, she was prepared for this contingency. He smiled at her when he saw the little packet. “Go for it,” he told her, his words a bit strangled as she slid down his body and put the condom on him. He made a little squeak of sound, followed by that sexy rumble that made his whole chest vibrate.

  Without further ado, she reach
ed between them and, positioning herself over him, took him inside in one long stroke that left them both gasping. Sweet heaven! That felt good.

  From there, she began to ride. Taking him hard and deep, she ground herself against him. Fast, then slow, then faster again. She lost track of time and space. The only thing that existed for her was the magical man beneath her, his hands on her hips, encouraging and supporting her movements.

  When she came apart, he let her shudder over him for a short while before he flipped them so that he was on top, charging home within her. She hadn’t thought she could go any higher, but Jack proved her wrong as her orgasm spiraled even tighter, reaching for some oblivion she had never seen before. She’d never even known this level of bliss existed.

  Kiki cried out his name as she teetered over the edge, exploding into a starburst of fireworks within her body and soul. Jack came with her this time. She felt him shudder, and the growl that rumbled from his chest was even more animalistic, shocking her with the sensual earthiness of the sound.

  After long, heavenly moments, he disengaged their bodies then rolled them to their sides as they came down, together. He touched her shoulder then slid his hand down to her waist, pulling her close. His touch was gentle, yet possessive. She loved the feel of his fingers on her skin.

  “You okay?” he asked, his voice a low rumble in the quiet of her bedroom.

  She nodded. “Mm-hm.” She couldn’t really find the energy to put actual words together, but she hoped he’d be able to tell from the silly, satisfied smile on her face that she was way more than just okay.

  They lay there, like that, for a long time. Finally, Jack got up and went into the small bathroom that was right next door to the bedroom. When he came back, he got back in bed beside her, positioning them so she could snuggle against him. He put his arm around her as he lay on his back.

  “Rest a bit,” he told her. “If you’re agreeable, I’d like to try that again later.”

  She rose up to look into his eyes, loving the easy humor she found there. “I’m agreeable,” she told him, dipping low to place a kiss on his lips. She eased back when he would have taken the kiss deeper to whisper against his lips. “But I don’t want to wait.”

  Like magic, it started all over again. This time, the buildup was slower…and even more intense. She hadn’t thought it was possible, but Jack proved her wrong. All night long.

  *

  Early the next morning, Jack went back to his hotel to get a change of clothing. He didn’t want to leave Kiki’s warm bed, but he hadn’t gone to her house last night prepared to stay over. He needed fresh clothes if he was going to keep the change in their relationship private.

  Not that he wasn’t thrilled to pieces that she’d allowed him into her bed, and into her confidence last night. Under any other circumstances, he’d be shouting his pride in their new relationship from the rooftops. Only, under current conditions, it could draw too much of the wrong kind of attention from the super-wrong kind of people.

  Carol had to realize the guy from corporate Jack was portraying would be trouble, especially if she couldn’t manage to get him under her spell. Jack didn’t want to give Carol any reason to believe that she could get to him through Kiki. That would only put Kiki in more danger than she was already in, just by working at the plant.

  As Jack walked down the hallway toward his hotel room, he went on high alert. Someone was in his room. The feeling Jack was getting wasn’t one of danger, however. It was more of curiosity and patience. Trusting his instincts, Jack opened the door to his room cautiously, staying in the doorway, rather than walking straight in.

  “Sorry for the intrusion,” the man inside the room said, turning to smile at Jack. “Ezra said to make myself at home, and you weren’t around last night, so I figured I’d wait to see if you came back to your base or if I should call out the cavalry on your behalf. I’m Ben Steel.”

  The man didn’t step forward or offer his hand. He just stood his ground and waited to see what Jack would do.

  Jack’s inner beast wanted to rend and tear. How dare someone invade his territory? But Jack’s human side appreciated the man’s words and held the bear back.

  “Give me a moment to verify?” Jack said, already whipping out his phone. He dialed Ezra, not caring that it was the middle of the night in Grizzly Cove.

  “Jack,” Ezra answered on the first ring. He hadn’t been asleep. “You had us worried. Ben said you weren’t at your hotel.”

  “I’m here now,” Jack bit out. “And your guy was in my room. I assume he’s yours?”

  “Yeah. Sorry. Ben Steel. He’s my AC contact. Now, he’s your AC contact, too,” Ezra said. “He should know better than to invade a bear’s territory though. I suspect he’s testing you to see how close to the edge your bear is. AC operatives are known to play stupid ass games like that, at times.” Jack could hear the disgust in Ezra’s tone, and it touched a chord within Jack, calming his inner bear.

  “I’m putting you on speaker,” Jack warned Ezra a moment before he lowered the phone and tapped the icon that would allow Ben Steel to be part of the conversation.

  “Hey, Ben, you should know better than to invade someone else’s territory,” Ezra said, humor in his tone.

  “Sorry. I just didn’t like the idea of sleeping out in the hallway.” Ben sounded totally unconcerned.

  “Don’t push him, Ben. Jack’s one of the good ones. Now, you two have a lot to discuss, and my mate is getting impatient. It’s the middle of the night here, and I’ve got better things to do,” Ezra claimed. Jack could hear the amusement in his tone. Ezra hung up without further ado, leaving Jack and Ben facing each other.

  Jack put his phone away. “Well.” He looked at Ben and shook his head. “Let’s start over. I’m Jack Bishop, and this is my hotel room.”

  “Ben Steel. Sorry to intrude. You weren’t here, and I figured waiting was the best option available at the time.” Ben shrugged, and Jack could hear no subterfuge in his tone. Ezra vouched for the guy, which made Jack more likely to trust him.

  “What information do you have for me?” Jack would feel his way with this new contact.

  “Mind if I sit? I’ve got some files on my laptop you’ll probably want to see.” Ben gestured toward the couch and coffee table in one corner of the room where he’d set up his computer and had likely passed the night.

  “Be my guest,” Jack said, a bit of irony in his voice as Ben moved toward the couch. Jack followed.

  “The most important point for you to know is that the janitor, Jeff Pikeman, is an Altor Custodis agent of long standing. He’s been with the order since his teens and has gone from job to job, filing reports as he goes. Oddly, he only filed a preliminary report on this job, nothing more, which is out of character for him.” Ben sat and pulled up the files on the laptop as he spoke. “His previous pattern was to file reports every two weeks, but he’s been on this job for months, and aside from that initial check-in, he’s gone silent.”

  “He could be under the influence of the potion witch. Just about everybody at the plant already is,” Jack observed as he stood near the couch. He could see the screen of the laptop over Ben’s shoulder.

  “Ah yes, Ezra filled me in on what you’d learned about Carol Burns. Not too surprisingly, there is no AC file on her, but…” Ben typed a few commands on his keyboard and brought up some new files. “The Saginaw-Burns family—which I know she is part of, because I checked—has a long and well-documented history of witchcraft and demonic worship. They’re suspected of running one of the premier schools of dark magic in the world. Her great-grandfather, Richard Burns, is still alive and believed to be the head warlock in charge of the educational operation. He’s got to be several hundred years old, by now, and suspected of extending his life through the use of blood magic. He’s the family patriarch, and I personally think he’s high up, if not actually on the high council, of the Venifucus.”

  Jack whistled through his teeth. “Carol is well-con
nected, then,” Jack surmised. “Do you think she’s got back up readily available, or is she out here on her own? I’d hate to take her on, and then find out she’s got a cadre of black magic commando wizards on call.”

  “Too early for me to say one way or the other right now. I had hoped you could get me into the plant today, so I can take a look around for myself,” Ben told him. “I’ve made a study of the Burns family and many of their protégés through the years.”

  “If this old guy is hundreds of years old, he must have trained up quite a few dark practitioners, right?” Jack asked.

  “Surprisingly, few have survived to the present day. One thing most people don’t talk about in connection with old man Burns is how few of his students actually survive his training.” Ben made a grim face. “Like I said, he’s keeping himself alive by feeding off others. Who better to drain than another magically gifted being—especially one that has some modicum of trust with you?”

  “That’s disgusting,” Jack observed, wondering why anyone would dare to go near the old man, knowing they could easily disappear forever, their magic stolen and their lives extinguished to keep the old warlock going.

  “Black magic is hidden because it’s often so unpalatable that even most dark mages won’t go near it,” Ben said philosophically, then shrugged. “Either way, I know most of the Burns family associates who are thought to still be alive. If any of them are at the plant, I can probably sniff them out.”

  “That’s a start,” Jack replied. “I’m going to grab a shower, then some breakfast, and I think we need to wake up a few folk in Grizzly Cove. There’s still some paperwork I need their help with. After that, we’ll both go in to the plant, and I’ll introduce you around as my associate from corporate.”